Kograth Savage Guard
"The Savages were built for wars like this."- ''Colonel Thaddus Matok during the Second War for Armageddon The Kograth Savage Guard is an all male Imperial Guard regiment hailing from the brutal and hellish world of Kograth and its equally desolate nehboring worlds in the Coran System. Each and every guardsman (known colloquially as Savages) of the "Kograth Savages" are near feral barbarian warriors grouped together and given training in basic Imperial tactics. Though often disregarded as uneducated brutes and savages, the Kograth Savage Guard have shown themselves superb line breakers and melee infantry. Though purestrain humans, Savages are often more athletic than the average human being, owing to a lifetime in the savage wastes of Kograth. History Having been part of the Imperial fold since the Great Crusades, the Kograth Savage Guard have fought across the Galaxy for centuries in the name of the God-Emperor and the Imperium, though few of them are entirely sure what that entails. In spite of their long and proud history, most Kograth Savages have no idea of the Imperium or the Galaxy until they are pulled from their ramshackle raider tribes and trained to fight across the stars. Thus much of the history of the Savages is detailed by the Imperium but unknown to all but the most scholarly of the Regiments own ranks. Seige of Kograth Kograth was first conquered by the Imperium (namely a force of White Scars and an Imperial Army detachment) in the late years of the Great Crusade, after a prolonged campaign against vile Ghrok slavers, and it was during this campaign that the Imperium noted the robust constitution of its native human population. Thus the savages were inducted into the Imperium and formed into their own regiments to serve the Emperor. First March of the Savages Kograth Savages first fought under the banner of the Imperium during the Great Crusades against the Orks of the Chadis Sector. This campaign would be known as the First March of the Savages amongst Imperial Scholars. The First March was spearheaded by the White Scars and newly formed Kograth Savages as a baptism by fire and was an unmitigated success. Within weeks the Sector fell and the Orks were annihilated in short order, and the effectiveness of the Savages was both noted by Imperial Commanders and more importantly, Jangahtai Khan himself. Fall of Numica Numica was home to an advanced human civilization that violently resisted the Imperium, and the 66th Kograth Regiment was brought to bear in order to beat the people of Numica into submission. The first Imperial battle fleet was brought down by local forces and the Savages were left as scattered survivors across the civilized world of sprawling cities and small woodland areas. The Fleet was believed to have been lost with all hands until a follow up Ultramarine force came to find the planets native forces on the brink of collapse. The scant thousand Savages of the 66th that survived the destruction of the fleet had managed to reorganize under the leadership of a Second Lieutenant by the name of Derenger Matok, whose bloodline would become legend amongst the Savages, and brought the world to its knees through a brutal guerrilla conflict that would be a portent of things to come for the Kograth 66th. Purge of Ki'Tan The Mining World of Ki'Tan was a large mining world that was conqured by the Emperor personally in the early years of the Great Crusade and was a key rescource producing world during the Great Crusade. However, just fifty years before the Horus Heresy the normally placid population of Ki'Tan rose up in rebellion against the Imperium. The Kograth 12th along with a detachtment of Night Lords were deployed to quell the uprising and find its scource. As it turned out the colonists had dug far too deep and uncovered an ancient horror, Gene-Stealers. The xenos had hybernated on the planet for untold eons, wating for the chance to infect and expand. The Night Lords used their trademark tactics but to no avail, the mind slaved cultists and cold xenos knew no fear whatsoever, however the Night Lords still slaughtered millions of them, drastically thinning the infections ranks. The Kograth 12th, made exelent headway in the crampt colonies and mineshafts, though the Purii Gene-Stealers were often devastating in close quarters. Eventually the Gene-Stealer Broodlord was slain by one of the Night Lords in single combat and the Savages were left to depopulate the planet so that new colonists could resablish the all important mines as quickly as possible. To this very day Ki'Tan still produces a steady stream of raw materials for the Imperium. Organisation It should be noted that the highest rank a Savage can achieve is that of Sargent amongst his fellow Savages, the rest of the higher ranking officers and the Colonels are all descended from the small population of Imperials that live upon the orbital station that is the palace of the Imperial Governor of the Coran System, as no one in their right mind would leave a band of barbarians to their own devices on the battlefield. Other than that the Kograth Savage Guard bears a simmilar structure to most regiments. The standard unit of the Kograth Savage Guard is known simply as a Troop, a Troop is usually ten Savages. Special Forces Kograth Badlanders Hailing from the various badland tribes of Kograth, the Badlanders are the Kograth Savages fast attack specialists, often riding atop their famed Badlander Assault Bikes. Badlanders ride at breakneck speeds ahead of the charge, twin linked bolters ablaze, and crash headlong into the enemies ranks with their bikes built in blades fanned out. They are also used as recon and ambush units as well as the spearhead for mass attacks. The Badlanders earned special recognition by Jaghitai Khan during the Great Crusaides, he was impressed with the Badlanders skill and savagery. To this day the Badlanders emulate and honor the White Scars, often taking up ritual scaring in honor of the ledgendary sons of Khan. Recruitment and Replenishment Often Kograth Regiments are wiped out due to attrition before they can be replenished, but often such Regiments are simply rebuilt from scratch. Recently other worlds in the Coran System have been seeded with Kograth natives, each of these populations are also recruited into the Regiments. As can be surmised, the Savages do not recuite from any other population other than those within the Coran System. Equipment The Savages are often armed with primitive but powerful weapons, such as auto guns and heavy stubbers, but also modern Heavy Bolters and Lascannons. The Savages also come armed with various melee weapons, from rare Thunder Hammers, to simple axes and mauls. Kograth Pattern Heavy Autogun This high caliber assault rifle is the standard weapon of choice amongst the Kograth Savage Guard. This beast of a gun was manufactured on the same basis of the famous Ogryn Ripper Gun, to be simple enough for the primitive Savages to maintain and repair, and sturdy enough to be used as an impromptu melee weapon should the occasion arise. (and it arises often) The Kograth Pattern Heavy Autogun is not famed for its accuracy, but its stopping power and durability is legendary as is its large magazine size. Often Savages decorate their autoguns with runes and skulls as well as warpaint and various other totems. And no Kograth Pattern Heavy Autogun is complete without a massive bayonet. Savage Pattern Pistol Also known as the "Handcannon" this massive revolver style pistol the chosen sidearm of the Savages and their commanders, and is often gifted to Commissars who serve alongside the Kograth Savage Guard. The handcannon is a large caliber magnum capable of blowing off limbs and punching though flak armor with ease. Imperial Combat Shotgun A favorite amongst scouts and frontline forces of the Savages, shotguns provide the close range killing power desired by the brutal Savages. Gogha Pattern Stimm Packs Combat stimulants are frequently used by the Kograth Savages to give them an extra edge in combat, and the Gogha Pattern Stimm Packs carry various varaities from pain killers to agression enhancers. Savages may also use native drugs dervied from various flora and fauna of their homeworld that can do many amazing things from improving night vison, to granting the user temporary immunity to various toxins. Vehicles Crassus Armored Transport The Crassus has been part of the Savages since the Great Crusade, allowing the forces of the Savages to be delivered right on the enemies doorstep. Badlander Assault Bike A farily large model of assault bike that has its orgins in the Badlander tribes of Kograth, the Badlanders is a farily robust and flexible war machine, capable of moving at breakneck speeds over nearly any terrain and bearing considerably thicker armor than most assault bikes. The standard armament for the Badlander is a pair of twin linked bolters or heavy autoguns and various blades and pikes mounted on its frame. The Badlander is also often decoraited with various runes and enemy remaines. Kograth Pattern Tauros The only differnce from the standard Tauros is that the Kograth Pattern is often armed with a twin-linked autocannons or heavy bolters and is even faster than its standard counterpart. Kograth Pattern Tauros' also have runes, fallen enemies, and banners strapped to it as well. Tactics The Kograth Savages are brutal and straight forward in battle, crushing the foe with their close combat skills and superior numbers. Savages are best used as a vanguard force to support armored Regiments and siege fortifications, as their robust constitution and leathality in close quarters combat make them ideal for such missions. Savages are also adept (some would even say gifted) at creating weapons and traps from the materials around them as well, from IEDs to basic snare traps, even creating simple weapons from scrap and nearby materials. They are also extremely hardy, known to surivive off the land on various battlefeilds when cut off from freindly supply lines or stranded in difficult enviornments. Thus Kograth Savage Guard are ideal not only for quick and brutal engagements but also capable of waging grueling wars of attrition. This has seen them accell on various battlefeilds and has earned them theri die-hard reputation. Culture ''"Filthy, ill smelling, tattooed brutes each and every one of them. However, they are also fearless and damn hard to kill, thus one can overlook the fact that they are more likely to eat an officer as they are to obey his commands."- ''Unknown Commissar Kograth Savages are each barbaric warriors from the various bandit tribes of the arid and rocky Death World of Kograth and its neighboring worlds. Thus the barbaric cultures of the Kograth Savages differ from regiment to regiment and even squad to squad, though all bear similar qualities. Savages value martial skill and relish in combat, they also partake in blood sports and mock duels for entertainment and to keep themselves sharp when not on the lines. Many of them bear ritual tattoos and tribal markings, not to mention various mohawks and ritual scars. In all warriors from Kograthian stock, fear in the face of the enemy is an unforgivable taboo and from birth they are conditioned to show no fear, or even show pain, thus only the most horrific foe can shake a Savage in mid combat. The Savages have also all been inducted into the Imperial Cult, though over the eons millions of small sub-cults have arisen on Kograth and other seeded worlds, further fueling inter-tribal conflicts. This can lead to infighting amongst the Savages but with a Commissar present it is a rare issue. Unlike most Feral Imperial Guard, the Kograth Savages rarely have entire regiments from one tribe, as the native Kograthians live in comparitively small tribes of about fifty or so individuals. Thus the mustering of the guard on Kograth only seperaits warriors from tribes with serious blood fudes. Smaller tribal grudges are often ignored and on occassion Savages from rival tribes may end up in the same platoon, even the same squad. Noteable Regiments 66th Kograth "Matoks Dogs" The 66th Kograth, also known as "Matoks Dogs" is one of the most famed Regiments of the Kograth Savage Guard, having fought though some of the toughest campaigns the Savages have ever seen and always emerging with some number of survivors. Thus the 66th is considered the best Regiment the Kograth Savage Guard has to offer, not only because it has some of the most battle hardend Savages of all the Regiments, but because its famed commander Thaddus Matok is one of the best military commanders the Imperial Guard has to offer. The Regimental symbol is the usual Kograth Skull with the Livery of House Matok (an Aquilla with a power hammer in the center) imposed on the forehead. Noteable Engagements Heros Colonel Thaddus Matok ''"These men are my men, and though they may be uncivilized, they are still men, and they will fight and die in the name of the Emperor and the Imperium without question or hesitation. It is my honor, and my destiny, to lead them into the thickest of the fray, and Emperor Willing, lead them out."- ''Colonel Thaddus Matok The most recent member of the honored Matok bloodline to enter the annles of Imperial History, Thaddus Matok has carried on a tradition that is almost 8,000 years in the making, leading the warriors of the Kograth Savage Guard to victory against the enemies of the Emperor. Thaddus Matok commands the famed Kograth 66th, like his ancestors before him, and through his own actions and the weight of power his family name entails with the Savages. Even the Kograth natives have heard tales of the Matok line from the few Savages released back onto their world, and such ledgends speak of a line of daring and salwart commanders who face down daemons and alien beasts the likes of which are equally ledgendary. Thus simply being of the Matok line is enough to inspire tottal loyalty in the Savages, but the mark of a truely great commander is not the linage he comes from, but his own actions, and without a doubt Thaddus lives up to his family name. Thaddus Matok has served for well over two hundred years, and has commanded his band of iron willed brutes with what some would call superhuman tenacity. Often Thaddus is on the front lines with his men, and unlike many of the Savages officers, treats them as men rather than tamed beasts. Thaddus is well known for his highly agressive tactics, understanding that his Savages are built for such combat, but it is his expert application of ambushes and traps that have made him a heroic figure amongst the Imperial Guard. The most noteable being the Seige of Oren's World during the 12th Black Crusaide, during which he ordered his savages to make IED's out of the corpses of fallen Ratlings. Though a grusome notion, the corpse bombs were highly efficant at thinning the enemies ranks as Ratling corpses littered nearly every battlefeild and major supply line. Commissar Sivil "Dragon Lady" Shrike ''"Sivil? She's a battle-axe that one, Iv'e seen some of the biggest brutes of this band of murderers flinch when she so much as looks in their general direction."- ''Lutenient Farlen Demotitch of the Kograth 13th Sivil Shrike is, like all Commissars, an iron willed and cold person, but it takes a special breed of Commissar to put the fear of the God-Emperor into a band of men who use the skulls of their foes as goblets. Sivil is an aged and battlescared servent of the Emperor, having weathered Ork charges,Chaos Marine assaults, and Tyranid swarms in her long career before she became the Commissar of the Kograth 13th. All that experience, not to mention a personality like the business-end of a chainsword, made her and ideal choice to replace the 13ths former Commissar. At first the Savages were unimpressed, as was often the case, but soon they learned to fear and respect the woman they would call "Dragon Lady" for years. Sivil not only held the line along with them but, much to their surprise for an admitedly petite woman, was the first one in the front of the pack for a charge. In the Kograthian culture, women are not warriors, (though Kograth females are often just as belligerant and deadly as their male counterparts) and the idea of such is often considered laughable. Sivil not only proved that sentiment wrong, but quite frankly, laughable in its own right. Sivil considers working with the Savages a "cush job" as the barbarians never try to flee the battle and are so reverently devoted to the Emperor that the need for motivatory exicutions is practially nonexistant. However, she must maintan order and coherents amongst them and that is not an easy feat...unless one is Sivil, who is so greatly feared and respected that her glare is often all she needs. Relations Cadian Shock Troops ''"You smell...very clean."- Kograth Savage to a Whitesheild of the Cadian 314th The Kograth Savages have fought alongside Cadian forces before and generally find the "Purple-Eyed Runts" lacking in strength and ferocity but not in bravery or tenacity, thus Kograth get along well with Cadians though the same can't be said for Cadians who are often unsure if it is wise to fully trust a man who would gladly turn your skull into a totem if given the chance. Catachcan Jungle Fighters ''"Not bad, jungle jack, not bad..."- ''Kograth Savage complementing a Catachan Devil on his expert application of a frag grenade on a band of Chaos Cultists Catachcan Jungle Fighters and Kograth Savages have a firm bond of brotherhood between the two regiments. Both are brutal and deadly warriors, each fearless and without mercy as they stare down Ork and Chaos hordes. However the Catachcans perpensity for stealth and ambush can be at odds with the Savages need for glorious battle. Kanak Skull-Takers The brutal Kanak Skull-Takers and Kograth Savages first fought alongside one another during the War for Tristan, a Hive World whos location was of great stratigic importance. Since that day, regiments of both harbor a deep respect for the other, both bearing brutal and uncivilized cultures and respecting martial ability. Quotes About Category:Imperial Guard Regiments Category:Imperial Guard